All my neighbors are quite certain that tomorrow this tiny little town
will be vaporized. While I could poke a good number of holes in their logic, they're drunk, so it wouldn't
do any good. Therefore, I have to overhear all their plans for surviving instant death (buying groceries),
and it's REALLY REALLY distracting. On the off chance that they're right though, I'll have to write a really
silly conclusion tonight.

Lin: Hello, boys and girls. I am Lindsay... but yeah, you can just call me Lin. I'm an 18 year old high school girl who works at Gamestop. I'm a big RPG and strategy game fanatic and right now you'll usually find me playing Diablo II: LoD or beating my boyfriend in Advance Wars. I'm big on old school RPGs (nostalgia, man), anime, and scaring customers. No, I do not like long walks on the beach and yes, I gave up Xenogears for this spot. Anyway... on to the questions.

Here's a Valkyrie Profile question for you: What does you seal rating need to be and when in order to get the 'good' ending? Also which ending did you get when you first won it- the 'good' or 'bad' one (if those terms really apply)? Gotten them both? Thanks.

Lin:
Ok, well, I never beat Valkyrie Profile, but I love the game to death (ok, no pun intended. I swear)... which is why I didn't to give it up to Zach. However, the reason I didn't beat it was because I accidentally skipped a very essential part in chapter 4 for the best ending. I got so frustrated, I didn't touch the game for months and when I did pick it up again, I didn't remember what I had to do... so I just restarted it a few weeks ago. Anyway...

Your Seal Rating needs to go below 37 before the chapter 6-7 review. There is a best ending guide in the RPGamer VP section so check that out.

Googleshng:
I'd just like to add that VP has THREE endings, not two, and I intentionally got B first.

More about VP

Hi Goog, I mean Lin.

I have only one simple question in Valkyrie Profile. Do
you get anything completing the voice colection? That's
the only thing missing in my game. Please answer!

Gustavo

Lin:
Well... I haven't beaten the game yet... so I'll leave this one to Google.

Googleshng:
You get the ability to play every voice clip from the sound test menu.

4th letter, 4 questions

Hi there,

I have a couple of questions regarding remakes.

1. What do you think the chances of any of the
Phantasy Star games being redone for GBA are?

Lin:
1. I remember hearing bits and pieces about Phantasy Star games for the GBA... which would be very nice... but I haven't heard anything on it in months... so I'm not getting my hopes up yet.

Googleshng:
No announcements have been made, but with EVERY other major RPG developer making portable remakes, it
really wouldn't surprise me.

2. I was checking out RPGamer's screenshots for DW3,
and I noticed some labeled "re-make" or "re-release"
or something. For which system is this remake? It
looked like the Playstation, or the SNES at least, but
I've never heard of DW3 on either of those systems.

Lin:
2. DW3 was rereleased on the GBC. From what I've heard, it's very nice, but I haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

Googleshng:
I was about to ask what cave you've been living in, until I took a look at how our DW3 section is set
up. Oddly. Anyway, there was an SNES remake of Dragon Warrior 3, amoung others, for the SNES, in Japan
only, many years ago. Wow, that's a lot of commas.

3. Speaking of DW3, I think the "field log" save
option it uses is a fantastic idea, one that seemingly
any RPG would benefit from. Since the log is
automatically deleted as soon as you load it, it's not
like the save system has been tampered with; it's
really more of a prolonged pause. I realize I may be
overlooking some flaw in this system, so I thought I
would ask your opinion on it.

Lin:
3. I always liked the 'field log' in the DW games... but most RPGs have enough save points in them so a 'field log' is not really needed.

Googleshng:
You know, a truckload of recent RPGs have had a feature like that, and many not-so-recent ones too. Yet
every one of the... 20 times recently when someone has praised it recently, it's been treated like DW3
was the first game to ever use it.

4. This is a bit of a rant, so you can cut it out if
you want: I noticed someone recently made the
assertion that he was more "hardcore" because he was
playing the emulated versions of DW. While it's
certainly true that the GBC remakes are much easier, I
think it deserves pointing out that a truly "hardcore"
gamer would have a bit more loyalty to the companies
that provide the games; e.g., by playing the legal
copies. Mind you, I'm not against emulation,
especially when there's an older game that it just
isn't possible to get your hands on; the DW GBC games
are readily available, however.

Thanks for your time, Googleshng.

jaraph "Wizardy V for SNES: hard"

Lin:
4. I still have my original Dragon Warrion I and II games for the NES in their original boxes with their experience point card and instruction booklets. :P That's hardcore. Anyway, I won't touch the emulation thing. ::avoids::

Googleshng:
I was considering making a similar point myself. While playing the harder version of a game DOES grant
bragging rights, you really shouldn't brag when emulating a game recently rereleased. If nothing else,
you get people like this bragging about not having to emulate to play said version.

It defeats the purpose when you ask more questions than you have numbers.

Google & Lin,

1.) Does Saiyuki's plotline live up to the glory of FF Tactics? Do you think Hoshigami will? The battle system was fun, but plotline is what makes me love a game. (I'll take any battle system except FF8's.) Is Valkyrie Profile ridiculously hard? And/or is it worth the $?

2.) Are either FF8 and Lunar 2 worth beating to see the ending? I'm at the second dragon in the second disc of Lunar 2, but I'm burnt on the game because it's SO hard and i can't beat the dragon. I got to the last guy in FF8 but had no real desire to beat it, erased my memory card, but started back up and am an hour into it because I hear everyone say the ending is wonderful. Where do you get enc-none in FF8, and can you really beat the game with having it on all the time since the bosses' levels depend on yours?

Okay, that's all.

Derek Thompson

P.S. I fibbed. How likely is it that the GBA Shining game will come to North America?

Lin:
1. Valkyrie Profile has three difficulty settings. The normal setting is not hard, though it can get frustrating sometimes if you don't know the battle system well. And I think it's definitely worth the money... but it's pretty hard to find now. ::protects her copy::

2. I haven't played Lunar 2 and if you just want to see the FFVIII ending, just download it. It's very pretty. But if you want Enc-None, learn it from Diablos; however, the more you have it junctioned, the more your SeeD rank goes down and the less money you earn.

Googleshng:
I haven't played enough of Saiyuki to say, and I REALLY haven't played enough of Hoshigami. I think that
covers all your questions, except whether Lunar 2 is worth winning. It is. It isn't THAT hard either, especially
when once have White Dragon Protect.

FF Tictacs

Heya Google and Lin!

So my logic about Imperial Mog's letter isn't working, eh? Then it will be
my duty to write as many letters as possible. Of course, finding a new topic
each time won't be easy... Are points also awarded when you aren't
hosting?

Since I keeping hearing about Final Fantasy Tactics being a good game, I got
it last weekend. Sadly enough, I don't have much time to play it... I'll
have to understand how the gameplay works, tho: I died at the second battle
of the game, so that probably indicates I don't quite understand the game
yet ;-) Are the Tutorial really helpful?

Also, I just found myself playing Final Fantasy VI last day, and I found
that letter from the Emperor Gesthal, about finding a secret in a
"star-shaped mountain range". I know where it is, you find Locke in there,
who gives you Phoenix. Was that Gesthal's secret, or I'm missing
something?

- Dr. Cossack
13 days before Mega Man Battle Network..

Lin:
Aw, yeah, that's exactly what happened to me in Final Fantasy Tactics until I realized that I could have more than two people on the map at once... oops. So yeah, tutorials rock.

And you just reminded me of how much I need to play FFVI again.

Googleshng:
That whole "not noticing you can deply multiple characters" bit happens to way too many people when they
first play FFT. Very odd phenominon. As for FF6, I would assume that's it yes.

Care for some port?

I read in the "Sony buys Squaresoft" article that Square is developing for the Game Boy Advance: "Fears that Square would no longer produce for the Game Boy Advance were also addressed. President Hisashi Suzuki of Square stated it had no current plans to cancel any production for the handheld."

Since when? Has there been any announcement about particular productions? Or is this an article typo and it meant the Wonderswan Color...?

Also, does Konami have any plans of bringing a Suikoden title to the GBA?
-Sam

Lin:
Well, I've heard so many different things about Square and Nintendo, I'm not sure what I believe anymore. I don't remember reading anything about Square definitely developing for the GBA... and I know I would have remembered something like that.

As for Suikoden, the latest I've heard on the series is Suikoden III for the PS2. Although playing Suikoden on my GBA does sound quite fun...

Googleshng:
Square wants to remake FF4-6 on the GBA. Whether or not it will actually happen is still up in the air.
As for Suikoden, who can say? Konami works in mysterious ways.

Power up!

Heya, Google-sama!
Those ToysRUs people are such suckers. They sent me a coupon book, and now I get to browse their web site for products I wouldn't buy otherwise while at the same time checking out their various services which I might be interested in in the future. Heh heh, they're practically eating off the palm of my hand... Or is it the other way around? Oh, whatever.
Anyway, one of the coupons happens to be 3 dollars off any GBA accessory over $9.97. I already have a worm light and a link cable, and I'm considering getting a battery pack. The problem is, every battery pack out there either 1. sucks or 2. is only available in Japan. I know you recently got a GBA, and it's common knowledge that you know all, so what should I do, oh slimey one?

BL Alien

Lin:
Ah, the GBA battery pack problem. I have found a simple solution: the Pelican battery pack. Two rechargeable packs and both can be charged at the same time by keeping one inside the charger and then setting the GBA in the holder. It's what I suggest to all customers when they ask for a battery pack. I'm not really big on any Game Boy accessories, but that and my link cable are very handy... too bad that none of the accessories come in pink. ::sighs::

Googleshng:
A few people suggested that when I was looking for just such a thing. Instead I ended up with the Interact
Power Pack. It's pretty light weight, fits into the battery compartment and thus doesn't block any ports,
and has an AC jack on it which can both charge it up for 15 hours of play time, and run the system off
direct wall power. So you can keep playing a game, even if you're charging the batteries, without even
having to turn it off to start charging. Nice deal.

Not-so-hypothetical

Isn't that quote from the princess bride? Wesley (the dread pirate Roberts) says it to the smart guy (whose name escapes me at the moment) before he pours it in to their goblets. as for a question, um, lets see. It's been asked before what RPGs could be turned into movies or TV shows. although usually they botch it up. But if it was done right, which Anime movie/OAV/TV show could be turned into an interesting RPG. Slayers is the first to come to mind, but then, if you cant randomly cast the dragon slave and every little thing that pisses you off, what's the point. So, what do you think?

Lin:
::blinks:: Woah... I'm a bit tired. I can't really think of anything that would be a cool game... I mean, I don't watch TV and I haven't seen enough anime to give you an intelligent answer.

Googleshng:
Yes, I quoted The Princess Bride the other day. I do that pretty darn often. I quote other things constantly
too, but the other big contenders are a bit more obscure. Anyway, it may surprise you, but not only are
RPGs ALREADY made of just about every anime series in existance, but the majority are both fun, and made
by one particular company. Banpresto. These also have a weird tendancy to be Saturn games, and almost
never get brought to the US. Of particular note is the long-running Super Robot Wars series. Basically,
they're TRPGs featuring almost every single giant robot there is. So, in one fight, you might end up fighting
some baddies from Gundam Wing using Voltron, Mazinger Z, and Eva-01. Plus several others actually, fights
tend towards the range of 20 on 50 odds. Fun stuff. As for what series would make the best RPG, Magic
Knights Rayearth. The basic plot is, 3 girls get sucked into an RPG setting, and then aquire weapons and
armor that improve whenever they go up a level. Heck, they even make comments about how much it's like
an RPG. Of course, ironically, the obscure Saturn Rayearth game was an Action/RPG. Rather short, rather
generic, and rather insane since you get 3 characters. It was brought to the US though, by Working Designs
no less. While the game is a bit lackluster, it does at least feature the Best Outtakes Ever.

Quickies

anybody want a peanut?

Lin: My mommy told me not to take things from strangers.Google: Hey! That's the last line in that scene, so I can't follow it! I'll have to procede it
instead then. "Stop that rhyming now! I mean it!"

Lin: Aww... ::hands Xenochick a cookie:: See, it's all better. Google still likes you. He printed this.
Google: You know, I don't recall seeing any letters signed Xenochick in some time now.

The Last Laugh:

Lin: Wow... I actually guest hosted for RPGamer... after reading this column for over 2 years. It was very entertaining, I must say. Anyway, I must be off to protect my pre-cal grade from my teacher. If you want this lovely guest hosting spot, just bribe me with Skies of Arcadia, Earthbound, or Final Fantasy Chronicles and it shall be yours. ;)

Google: Oh right, I almost forgot to forward along the offers of all 3 of those games that came
in VERY fast. In other news, a glance at a TV indicated that my neighbors do indeed have good basis for
their cries of doom and gloom. My dinky town makes a top 3 list of potential bombing targets. The FBI
says some targets will most likely be bombed this weekend. A large number of planes begin circling overhead
at 4:30 AM. Disquietting. I'm not one to talk about the current events in the news, but when I can see
them from my window it deserves SOME notice. On a much much much much much lighter note though, it is
now the weekend, thus you get to talk with CC. Also, next week, I should be just a fairly short walk
away from the PSX containing RPGamer's review copy of Dragon Warrior 7. Huzzah!

Googleshng "Airplanes are loud." @rpgamer.com
I suppose there's a slim chance that the following may be my last words. Best make the most of it:
MICROSOFT SUCKS!!!!!